Pompey v Swans

Pompey continue the defence of their cup (contrary to what the papers may think) by entertaining Swansea at Fratton, the second Welsh side to face us in a year.

Vital Quotes:

Pompey will be looking to keep their mini-revival rolling tomorrow, this time in the cup. The boys have found a bit of resiliance at last, and starting to get used to the system which served us so well at the start of last season.

Swansea have made all the noises about fearing nothing, their fans have taken up all their allocation as well, so we can expect a load of noisy Welshman around the City.

Last time Swansea played in Pompey they left with a hiding, not by the hands of the boys in blue however, but by Havant&Waterlooville during last seasons epic run.

Pompey Team News:

Pompey will include Jermaine Pennant in the team, on the right you would presume, but Nugent has performed reasonably well there of late and has been promised he will remain in the team.

Niko Kranjcar has been struck down with a groin tear, he limped out at Spurs and it appears he could be out for some while, so our midfield takes another blow and we lose our main creative spark.Glen Johnson is probably our next biggest provider of goals , but he serves a ban after 5 bookings and Marc Wilson or Martin Cranie will cover for him.

Player to watch: Pennant

Point to prove or just playing it out until close season? Tomorrow will tell us a story, last thing we want is a bloke ducking out of tackles in case he misses a payday come the summer, but we will give him a chance to prove his worth.

Swansea Team News:

Swansea are undefeated in 10 games and are playinf fluently, Martinezs men play it the right way, so some football on the deck may be witnessed, thats if Fratton isn’t under water!

Tom Butler has a groin problem, but if he fails to recover the MP Leon Britton is available after suspension.

Nathan Dyer is eligible to play, he is on loan from a struggling managerless Championship side, and his last appearance in Pompey was in court.

Player to watch: Dyer

He has gobbed off and said he wants to score for all the fans up West, certainly knows how to butter up the locals doesn’t he?

Match Facts & Stats

Last time we crossed paths was back in the days of Biley and Hateley, Pompey hit 5 unanswered goals at the end of the 1983/4 season, and the last time we met in the FA cup was 1978, Swansea winning through on a replay.